Did this mod about a week ago and for the price how can you go wrong....Ive noticed a better throttle reponse and smoother shifts than before.

took 30 mins to finish this mod after i went shopping for parts. i used a 10 gauge wire, b/c no one carried an 8 gauge in my area.

i hope to see the same differences as everyone else

I don't know if it's been mentioned in the thread (as I didn't read it all - at work, can't really do that), but I am hoping this works for the tC. If not, do you know where the points would be?

I've search for this topic for the tC, but didn't find anything. I will look harder when I get home. But if anyone else can help me find it, I would appreciate it. :D

I did this mod myself the other day. I was very skeptical, but now I echo what everyone else has said. Throttle response is much better and the shifts in the automatic is now very smooth. I didn't notice any hp change or stereo change, and my car only has 1800 miles on it.

I got my parts from ebay. Tsunami high performance 8ga wire for about 1.00 a foot, and the rings I got for 12 for 48 gold plated ones (smallest quantity I could find). Heat Shrink and Wire crimpers I got at Fry's.

Hey Amoxapine, there are a few tCs on here that have done it. One person has a cardomain on it. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/861695/3 I'm checking it out to, just looked at our engine bay and there seems like lots of good points to mount to. I have a A/T and everyone on here talks about putting a ground on it and then to the battery for better shifting. I don't see how unless the tC is different b/c I have a stock ground that goes directly from the top of the tranny to the neg on the batt. As far as the others I'd say they might help some. Seems like a hit or miss thing with some cars.

Sounds good and easy to do. Although I have a stick shift xa 2006 model, my lights, ac fan, etc will slow or dim when my engine returns to idle then they return to original speed and brightness. Also at idle with or without ac on it does go from smooth to a slight rumble to a smooth idle again. Ive stalled it about once a month when hitting the gas and it just dies, so sounds like unless my voltage regulator in my alternator is bad, this will help. Thanks.

I DID IT, I DID IT, WOW!!!!

I used 10 guage wire and connecters as I could not find 8 locally at a parts store and I got connectors that came prefitted with heat shrink from advance auto.

I started up and it sounded the same however as I just released the clutch I notice it was smoother as the rpms dip to 500. It seemed to have better low end throttle response when driving around the hizzie at 15 mph and shifting gears, stop and going driving. With ac off, I swear it was idling at what looked like 400 rpms. It was below the half way mark between 0 and 1 once it warmmed up. THe ac fan speed still dipped when I came to a stop light and returned to normal speed, so that problem was not fixed.

Great find.

i get a rough idle with my a/c on too, i just turn it off when i'm at a stop light and turn it back on when i go

My idle would always vary from smooth to rough with or without the ac on. Not any more. I did stall it out at the wendys just releasing the clutch and putter around the parking lot.

I sure miss that from the mercedes 240d I owned. I would always release the clutch, then give it some gas. Got to do the reverse with the scion.

I am still in shock and awe over this mod. With ac set to fan speed of 3 I can squeal tires at 2 grand. Got to watch it where I use to stall it.

Thank you mikochu. I did exactly what you said and I very satisfied with the result. I am wondering, however, if it worth it to continue connecting the Alternator, Throttle, Transmission, Injector and so on. Many folks said here they did it, so that it would be nice to know where these parts are located in the xa. Thanks again.

This mod is next on my list..

does this process work basically the same for the tc?

Yeah

cool. what about the difference in autos and manual drives? is this mod mainly for autos or does it help in manuals too?

what is the difference (if any) between making like a loop (from point A to point B to point C) and running a distribution block from the negative battery terminal with wires going to each individual point (battery to A, battery to B, battery to C)?

I have a stick shift and it works well, radio seems louder than before too and fuller richer sound.

Beats me how it works short of balancing the indopience between the two halves of the car. Then again electricity can behave funny and why the extra looping from point to point is required to keep the lengths short of wire.

Larger wires allows more current to flow freely

well i've seen different write ups on these. are 4 gauge or 8 gauge wire better for this mod?

The lower the gauge, the thicker the wire. So 4 gauge is naturally better

alright cool. i might try this out real soon.

Anyone know where I can get 0 gauge crimp ring connectors? Home Depot doesn't carry them

electronic surplus store

so i just finished doing the mod, and i would like to say that i feel a bit difference in the accel, and the lights are a tad bit brighter, but it can all be in my imagination. Question to any one that knows, Is it bad that on point C i connected the wires to the engine bolt in between the coils or should i have connected them to the coils?

bad ! grounding the coils means what it says ... back to ya tools man !!
Cheers. Just chilling.

I have been meaning to do this, but just haven;t gotten around to it yet. Maybe I will do this Friday. Sounds like a small time killer.

Done this mod on several cars. Personal experience was on my previously owned 01 corolla. Improve throttle response and improve shifting! Made my own kit using 4gauge speaker wire. Will do this mod on Monday.

cool

Done this mod this week end. Used 10mm cable.
Getting to connect two lugs under the point C was a little difficult, do i had to use a DIY connector. Will post pics soon.

Thanks so much for this thread. I was getting shocked all the time by the drivers door and my satellite radio kept fuzzing out anytime my head got near the b pillar-seems all is fixed.

I don't know if it makes more hp but the better throttle response makes it fell quicker-seems like there is more bass in the stereo too.

Making the wires took a little while ( I had problems with the connectors at first not getting bite) but the install took 20 minutes maybe.

Thanks again!

Done this mod on several cars. Personal experience was on my previously owned 01 corolla. Improve throttle response and improve shifting! Made my own kit using 4gauge speaker wire. Will do this mod on Monday.

Have you noticed a difference in throttle response on the tC? Thinking about doing it but have read mixed reviews.

hey mikochu

people say to ground the alternator too, but according to the BIG 3 thread, the alternator should be wired to the positive terminal of the battery, NOT the negative.

Also I don't need to ground each coil right? I can just ground the bolt on the engine block near the coils.

I'm confused :doh:

^^^^The ground that goes to the altenator, is to the body of the altenator whitch is a ground.

Um...I, nor ScionLife, cannot be held responsible for anyone's adventures-in-grounding. :P

Done this mod on several cars. Personal experience was on my previously owned 01 corolla. Improve throttle response and improve shifting! Made my own kit using 4gauge speaker wire. Will do this mod on Monday.

Have you noticed a difference in throttle response on the tC? Thinking about doing it but have read mixed reviews.

I've heard of better throttle response on the tC with better grounding. Also, I know the tC uses a servo system (throttle-by-wire)...you may want to tighten the slack on the throttle cable, as well...

wait?
mikochu you didnt ground the alternator because of what reasons...

Electricity is funny in its behavior, rather its dc or ac low or high frequency. I would just do what the "expert" says.

I didnt ground the alternator because it was already grounded and can produce upwards to 80 amps depending on its size. I did not ground the coils since they are on the same piece of metal and one should be find in the middle. Basically you want to balance the grounding, not provide an only patch for the existing parts. Electricty takes the easiest path, kind of like water over the edge of a table when you make a spill.

Two thumbs up !! Good write up!

I am kind of curious about grounding the alternator as well.

Not to be a smart ___, but if you ground the alternator, you would have a dead battery.

You don't put the ground on the positive/hot wire of the alternator. You put the ground onto the body of the alternator.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You don't put the ground on the positive/hot wire of the alternator. You put the ground onto the body of the alternator.

Anyone up for :grounding" the battery?

:loser:

I'm curious. How exactly does better grounding increase throttle response? Does it have something to do with getting better sparks?

I'm curious. How exactly does better grounding increase throttle response? Does it have something to do with getting better sparks?

Automotive electrical and computer systems are designed to tolerate up to 100% noise on their input lines. Meaning, if the ECU is expecting a 12-volt input signal, the signal may vary in the range of 0 to 12 volts. Fluctuations in signal are due to noise and resistance in the system. Noise is generated by spark plugs firing, discharges through the tires to the road, alternator turning on/off, etc. Resistance is the inability of the system to conduct electricity properly. One of the best-proven ways to compensate for noise and resistance is with proper grounding. Engine grounding has been used in the racing industry for years. The benefits have been proven and documented. Engine grounding allows for cleaner data transfer to the ECU. The result is more accurate measurements by the ECU and therefore more accurate performance, smoother idle and better acceleration.

^^^Thats just some of the benefits of grounding others include, stops headlight flickering with loud stereo systems, better ground for stereo systems means better sound and bass, brighter gauges and lights, and some others. Remember that all of this is very minimal and may see slight changes. Some may see more and some may see less.

Automotive electrical and computer systems are designed to tolerate up to 100% noise on their input lines. Meaning, if the ECU is expecting a 12-volt input signal, the signal may vary in the range of 0 to 12 volts. Fluctuations in signal are due to noise and resistance in the system. Noise is generated by spark plugs firing, discharges through the tires to the road, alternator turning on/off, etc. Resistance is the inability of the system to conduct electricity properly. One of the best-proven ways to compensate for noise and resistance is with proper grounding. Engine grounding has been used in the racing industry for years. The benefits have been proven and documented. Engine grounding allows for cleaner data transfer to the ECU. The result is more accurate measurements by the ECU and therefore more accurate performance, smoother idle and better acceleration.

good stuff. grounding aint as useless as most people think it is. sure it aint gonna raise your hp, but its better for the electronic components in your car

Thanks for taking the time to explain that. Very educational! Now I just have to find some time to do the grounding...

All funniness aside, Its an easy mod anyone can do in 15 minutes at any advance auto store parking lot. Just go to advance auto, buy a pack of terminals, roll of wire, you need a pair of plyers, a lighter. Measure the wire lengths according to the first page. Strip the ends, crimp and then use the lighter to shrink the heat shrink on the terminal lugs on the wire ends. I think I used 10 or 8 guage the biggest they had.

When i regrounded my 01 corolla i noticed a HUGE difference!! Used 4gauge wire to reground. Regrounded my alternator, battery, and transmission. I didn't reground my alternator on the tC because i couln't find the original ground wire. Didn't have time to look for it, or i just could have missed it.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

You don't put the ground on the positive/hot wire of the alternator. You put the ground onto the body of the alternator.

Anyone up for :grounding" the battery?

I realize this - I am not a complete idiot when it comes to electrical. I guess I should have been more specific with my question.

On of the main reasons for the alternator is to recharge your system. Thus the alternator creates a flow of electrons which in turn would create an electro-magnetic field. Grounding the shell or body of the alternator may have some effect on this, and that was more where my question was going. However, the following response on how the grounding actually helps cleared things up a bit for me.

Thanks.

yea i guess its ok to ground the alternator, but not the wires that connect it to the battery...

goodluck finding a place on the alternator to attach your grounding wires (besides the wires that lead to the battery)

yea i guess its ok to ground the alternator, but not the wires that connect it to the battery...

goodluck finding a place on the alternator to attach your grounding wires (besides the wires that lead to the battery)

There is a bolt right on top.. It's a bolt that holds a bracket for a wire loome. I just put my ground wire between the body of the alternator and the bracket and put the bolt back in.

i can't find 8 guage ring connectors anywhere by my house.

when i picked up the speaker wire for the kit, the guy gave me a couple 12-10 guage ring connectors. the hole for the ring is 5/16th and the when i stripped the 8 guage wire and twisted it up, it fits into the 12-10 guage ring connector fine. there's no real extra space in the crimp part. so i could just use 10-12 guage ring connectors?

also the ring connectors come with some yellow insulation. is that heat shrink?

thanks in advance, i'm excited to do this.

thanks mista burgess!

can some one please tell me where to pick up this alleged 8 ga. wire? ive been everywhere Lowes, Home Depot, Local Hardware, walmart, Aco random home audio video places, radio shack.. am i asking for the wrong thing when i say 8 gauge speaker wire? no one has it or any 8 gauge ring connectors please let me know....

Go with 4 gauge wire. Try ebay there pretty cheap, get like 20 feet of it. Here you go,

http://cgi.ebay.com/20-FT-4-GAUGE-BLACK-POWER-WIRE-LOW-RESISTANCE-economy_W0QQitemZ140189777191QQihZ004QQcategoryZ32811QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

lol sorry, but in that link is says this wire is "FLEXABLE LIKE A WET NOODLE"

Lol, yea i just read that lol funny :silly:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280183377323&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=018
i got 10 feet of that... is that good? also these
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280185360396&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=018

the connectors come with free tweeters? what am i supposed to do with those

That wire should do the trick.

just finished installing the TRD-ebay :) grounding kit

well.. it wasnt easy because i couldnt use the supplied installation kit!!!! i dont know how could i install this kit with a different battery!!!!

but i was lucky because i was able to nstall it somehow else so here is my grounding points:

negative terminal - right body
negative terminal - coil
negative terminal - head
negative terminal - alternator
alternator - left body

pictures: ( if they dont work u haw to wait a little bit... come back 1-2 hours later.. but any input is welcome.. so pls come back and reply!!) [ LOOOL you haw to wait :D i had to leave that misspelling in there .. its so funny D:D:D my english is ROX! ]

right body
http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2661j.jpg

-----
coil
http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2663j.jpg

-----
left body ( from alternator)
http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2664j.jpg

-----
alternator [cable 1 is coming from battery - cable 2 is going to left body ]
http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2666j.jpg

-----
head ( two pictures)
http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2668j.jpg



http://www2.djn-ice.com/CSOCSO-SUPRA/scion/howto/grounding/IMG_2672j.jpg



did i connect everything to the right place?????????????????????

connect only 1 coil is fine? should i conect the other one?
connecting only the left side of the head is fine? should i connect the right side also?
i connected the alternator to the right screw.. right?

i didnt connect my trans because im manual... but how could i connect it to the intake manifold?

pls reply asap!!!! i didnt started my car yet.. so i hope im gonna get some input before i wake up tomorrow....

I bought that setup also, and with the stock battery I have to figure out a way to mod it so that the POS install kit will work. I will prob have to just use the wires and not the plate, and just mount it somewhere just for show or something. My engine bay looks very similar, but I think I will use the mounting points from the other DIY.

so.. i started the car today.. of course the idle was horrible for like 10 minutes so i decided to drive around for a few minutes.. after like 10 minutes i stopped at the stop sign and the idle was good now..

so i went home.. stopped at the house for a 5-10 mintes inspection

i think the idle is a slightly better.. its still mover around a lil bit but i think not that much...
when i turn on the A/C the car is not shaking that much.. so its a little bit better...
when i start the car is the same i think. but my bro told me hes car starts just the same ( hes got an 08 w/o mods)

so hurray... but i will see when i drive around a lot..

I have some ground wires in there that a guy gave me for free, but I will be redoing them shortly. I have some 8-AWG Streetwires black cable from back in the day, some black braided loom wire cover, heatshrink, and gold ring terminals. I picked up a heatgun yesterday. Just gotta get started :)

CSOCSO can you fix your pictures. I want to do this and model it after yours. You think it is a good mod?

Anybody want the old wires I took out? Free in Phoenix.

already ordered the parts from knukonceptz. are the grounding parts different between a manual or auto xb1? do we ground it to the neg battery terminal or the stock ground point from the battery on the frame near the headlight?

I did this mainly to help preventing static shock when getting out of the car per the OP. And it helped for a while, but then the shock has returned. Then I went to a diler to change my oil and noticed that the shock has gone after that. I opened the hood and a miracle all the wire terminals were painted with some pink color. It would be nice to know what that paint was.

I don't have any 'installed' pics, but here's what the ends of my cables look like:

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/6415/groundwiresjg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

HondAudio, those are some sexy wires... heat resistent?

Dunno how heat resistant, but maybe. It's 8-AWG black cable (genuine Streetwires) covered in TechFlex and terminated with gold ring terminals and heatshrink <3

thats cool. thanks a lot

I should take pics this weekend :)

1 extra touch you could add would be the wire loom to cover the wire which is also sold @ Home Depot, btw #8 THHN wire currently runs $.68/ft

aswome write up. i just need to find time to do this. thanks.

I bought that setup also, and with the stock battery I have to figure out a way to mod it so that the POS install kit will work. I will prob have to just use the wires and not the plate, and just mount it somewhere just for show or something. My engine bay looks very similar, but I think I will use the mounting points from the other DIY.

even with the stock battery the ebay wires dont fit?
i like how it says its universal, but not really...

keep us posted on how you solve the problem

Just Finished my "Mikochu Über Ground Wire System", Working in the Dark Sucks, but I was Excited to get it Done, on my 09' Auto tC.
I Used Red 4 Gauge Wire that I Bought off of eBay, the "Flexible like a Wet Noodle" kind, it's actually pretty Decent.
It was a Pain in the ___ trying to Crimp down the Ring Connectors, but once I found my Lineman Pliers, it was a Piece of Cake.
I Followed mikochu's Instructions, and Used the same Points, and it Worked Out Perfectly.
What I've Noticed is that, the Headlights DO seem Brighter, the Car's now Idling between 500-600 RPM.
Throttle Response really did Improve, no longer any bit of Lag while Driving, and maybe I'm Wrong, but the Shifts are a bit Smoother.
Not Bad for a $25 Modification.
I Definitely Recommend other Members try it out.

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0541.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0548.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0543.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0542.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0547.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0544.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb2/jarretpcurry/Scion%20Life/IMG_0545.jpg

^^ i have that same wet noodle wire lol

my set up is much neater looking and can't hardly see it at all all expect for one wire is all you can really see

I Prefer seeing the Wire around the Engine Bay.
Especially since it looks pretty Nice.
But that's just my .02

i feel both stilletto and duck dodge
i'd hide some more wires but not enough to make it seem like nothing is there
just enough to keep it clean, ya know what i mean..

very nice how-to

Thats it, you are not going to get any extra power, fuel economy or defy gravity, just some refinements in operation.

I just bought some precut and terminaled starter/battery cables from my local auto store. 4 guage baby!!!! I also bought a red cable and ran the alternator directly to the hot side of the battery, positive to positive, ha, ha.

It shifts smoother, seems smoother on the throttle and did not notice that servo sound after shifting into drive the first few seconds when its started up. Use to when that happened my hids would blink.

so.. i started the car today.. of course the idle was horrible for like 10 minutes so i decided to drive around for a few minutes.. after like 10 minutes i stopped at the stop sign and the idle was good now..

so i went home.. stopped at the house for a 5-10 mintes inspection

i think the idle is a slightly better.. its still mover around a lil bit but i think not that much...
when i turn on the A/C the car is not shaking that much.. so its a little bit better...
when i start the car is the same i think. but my bro told me hes car starts just the same ( hes got an 08 w/o mods)

so hurray... but i will see when i drive around a lot..

is there a difference between and of the grounding kits out there?
Ground Fushion, Suns Hyper Gorund System, NRG, etc

thanks

no difference what so ever

what is the difference (if any) between making like a loop (from point A to point B to point C) and running a distribution block from the negative battery terminal with wires going to each individual point (battery to A, battery to B, battery to C)?

almost forgot i asked this....long time ago

any input?

So, I had to reference my own DIY. My engine was replaced recently and they put the ground points on random bolts. I noticed rough idle once in a while during the past couple of days...500 to 600 rpm. I'll switch back to the Mikochu Uber setup sometime and see if it helps... *crosses fingers*

could someone give me the link for the

DIY for the tC
and where i could get the cables to

thanks

bump for info

looks good, ima try this one

i saw a nice improvement in sq after i did this in my car. worth the time. i also did my alt/batt wire and batt ground at the same time.

hi guys. I'm kinda new to scions since i just bought my xa not even four months ago and i got a little impatient to start modding it and this was the first mod i did. great mod but the only thing is that i was driving and i noticed that my fog lights will no longer turn on. i just wanted to know if anyone had this problem or if i am the only one?

It shouldn't have affected your fog lights at all.

I just used this walk through and did this mod.

I got the exact same wire it looks like.

It was pretty easy and I have noticed an improvement in the engine.

It is a bit smoother than before.

For the money, its a great mod.





I do have one question.
I have two more feet of wire and two wire connectors left.

If there is one more good place to run another wire, where would be the best?
I have an automatic, but I don't where it is to ground that.

I have two more feet of wire and two wire connectors left.

If there is one more good place to run another wire, where would be the best?
I have an automatic, but I don't where it is to ground that.

do the firewall to the driver side strut tower where you hooked the one up on there at...

bump

I have two more feet of wire and two wire connectors left.

If there is one more good place to run another wire, where would be the best?
I have an automatic, but I don't where it is to ground that.

do the firewall to the driver side strut tower where you hooked the one up on there...I'll try that.


So there's a nut for the brace that connects to the transmission housing but I think its under the battery.



Anyway I added a wire from the driver's strut tower to a place on the heatshield 5 inches or so away.

Ok here it is! I did it and it took about 45 min that includes stripping /crimping/and heat wrapping the wire and then installing

The wires after Crimping
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic1.jpg

The Wires after heat shrinking
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic2.jpg

Engine cover Removed
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic3.jpg

Trusty Laptop so I don't f*ck up anything
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic4.jpg

Wire 1 installed with wire 2 daisychained
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic5.jpg

Wire 2 installed with wire 3 daisychained
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic6.jpg

Wire 3 installed with wire 4 installed ready to be connected to the battery
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic7.jpg

Wires 3 and 4 connected to the negative side of the battery
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic8.jpg

Engine Cover back on and job done
http://www.sbsitedesigns.com/grounding/pic9.jpg

What is the advantage,disadvantage, of using the wires all leading from the ground post on the battery versus running in a series like in this tutorial?? Most of the "high performance" kits sold run all the wires from the ground terminal on the battery. is there any voltage differences and or benifits??

I noticed faster takeoffs, I don't get shocked getting outta the car, and my RPM's are idled steady when I run the air conditioner.

I got all my stuff at home depot and it cost me $15 and some change

I noticed faster takeoffs, I don't get shocked getting outta the car, and my RPM's are idled steady when I run the air conditioner.

I got all my stuff at home depot and it cost me $15 and some change

WOW, goes to show how much inflation has got us. This post was when this thread started in '04. price has doubled

Thanks for the great how-to. Much appreciated.
Got everything I needed from the Home Depot on Sat for $7- and had the engine cover back off and on in about a half-hour.
Throttle response is more crisp and I can shift a bit faster because of it.
Thanks again.

My automatic shifts so much smoother now. It's impressive for a 4 speed, Ha it accelerates like a CVT!

Also the engine response is better, My box is even more fun to drive!

without reading every page, is the setup for the tC generally the same as the xA write up?

without reading every page, is the setup for the tC generally the same as the xA write up?

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29261&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=300

Scroll down and somebody did a tC with pics. He wasn't sure if he did it right so read some posts after him to see if anyone corrected him. I wouldnt buy the kit on E-bay I made my own from home Depot for under $15 The Ebay kit i think sells for $40 or so

without reading every page, is the setup for the tC generally the same as the xA write up?

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29261&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=300

Scroll down and somebody did a tC with pics. He wasn't sure if he did it right so read some posts after him to see if anyone corrected him. I wouldnt buy the kit on E-bay I made my own from home Depot for under $15 The Ebay kit i think sells for $40 or so

Thanks! :clap:

I paid a total of $16 dollars and about an hour of my time to do this mod.....well worth it....idles so much smoother than before.....def a must for all scion owners

I paid a total of $dollars and able an hour of my time to do this mod.....well worth it....idles so much smoother than before.....def a must for all scion ownersHow much?
I paid about $20, higher than what everyone else is saying... :(

YMMV with prices. I used to go to an electronic surplus store for supplies. Skycraft (http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/index.asp)

I did Ronna's XA yesterday and with gold crimp ands and red transparent 8 guage power cable it ran 19 bucks at the local stereo shop. It was a breeze to make and install. There is a slight change in RPMs and the idle according to the guage is smoother although it was pretty even before the mod. I agree the offline acceleration is a lil better. Nice and simple as well as a good looking mod so it is worth it even for the slight change. I believe I am going to ground the tranny case to see if there is a change in shifting pattern. Nice and informative "How To" article. Thanx for helping us all.

theres already a ground strap to the tranny as it is

i was thinking about redoing mine with 4 gauge wire. I went through the thread seeing if anyone done differently with the set up. I found a few things i need to ask.

1. (a) Do i connect to coil or the bolt next to coil at point C? I seeing few people connect to the bolt next to the coil. Does that make a difference?
(b) Do I remove the rubber-metal bearing complete from the bolt next to the coil?

2. I see people saying not to connect to the coil at all. So does that mean I run a long wire from point B to D or is there a different/better point C?

3. If there is extra wiring, is there a few other points to do or is this pretty much going ground it to where more would make no difference?

When I did the xA i only did the coil wire on the block and not the bolt on the front of the block. it seemed redundant to have the block grounded twice. I seem to have gotten the same results as most others have with RPM, idle, trans shift and bottom line acceleration.

I just finished doing the mod today, and Im quite happy with the results. First of all, Id like to thank you Mikochu. Its great having people share such valuable knowledge on a forum such as this. This was the first real mod Ive done on a car, but it went rather well. I had some initial difficulties finding the right socket wrench and other small things along the way, but it really is an easy mod and Id advise anyone who is interested but wary to give it a try. After giving it many test drives today, I can definitely say I notice a difference. While its not a great difference, the car seems to drive smoother in general. The acceleration is a tad bit faster, the head lights seem to be brighter (although that could just be a placebo effect), and the idle is down.

Having successfully done this mod makes me want to try out some others. :)

Just a little FYI..... In the auto repair industry, we are starting to learn more about the effects of poor grounding. Two things that are being found to benefit from really good ground paths... 1) Less body rust... 2) Fewer heater core failures due to electrolosis breakdown. Strange but true. We have also found that a ground path to an automatic trans is critical to it's controls. Installed a used trans one time that would not work! Took it out, cleaned the surface that touched the eng, re-installed it and it worked ok, addeda new ground strap and it worked like a new one. Just a little FYI.

Arise old thread!
So curious how did you find 8 gauge wire at home depot? I cannot find it on their site =(

their website doesn't list everything they carry. the only thing you can really do is to look for it in person.

Yeah good point Squall, i will take a look today. Thanks =)

Just wanted to state that i got the kit installed using wire from home depot (4 bucks for 7 feet) granted it was a stiff style 8 gauge but it works. I have a manual so the shifting thing did not apply but my lights/ radio all seem better. =D

Just wanted to state that i got the kit installed using wire from home depot (4 bucks for 7 feet) granted it was a stiff style 8 gauge but it works. I have a manual so the shifting thing did not apply but my lights/ radio all seem better. =D

son of a _____, my local home depot only has 10 gauge, damned annoying. Anyone know of other chain retailers that might have 4 gauge? also, can this mod be done for the tC, followed exactly? I'm gonna assume not, but the real question would be if i can use the same hard points on the body, or do i just need to figure out new hard points for the body grounds?

son of a _____, my local home depot only has 10 gauge, damned annoying. Anyone know of other chain retailers that might have 4 gauge? also, can this mod be done for the tC, followed exactly? I'm gonna assume not, but the real question would be if i can use the same hard points on the body, or do i just need to figure out new hard points for the body grounds?
I got my wire from a local stereo shop but it seems 8 guage works just as well. And the monting point are the same as far as panels to engine block. As long as it is in contact with the sheetmetal and the block. The stereo power wire looks better under the hood also. We used clear red wire with gold crimped ends.

Arise old thread!
So curious how did you find 8 gauge wire at home depot? I cannot find it on their site =(

You cannot find fine-stranded copper wire at Home Depot, Lowes, or any other hardware store. You need to get car audio-specific wire if you need it to be super flexible.

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread but I just saw this post and did it with some extra 0 AWG I had after my install. lo

http://i44.tinypic.com/2zdvrq9.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/6fzd6b.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/29vxtf4.jpg

Damn... the 0 gauge is certainly not subtle... time to put in a flux capacitor now.

That's some big azz wire. lil overkill maybe??

Ya ya i know ill get flamed a lot and it is COMPLETLEY overkil but I already had 50 extra feet of 0 AWG and 30 ring terminals

But yes i know it is Definatley overkill, but it works

Just curious... anyone know if this does anything for a 2007 tC?

1st post ever, btw :biggrin:

Been checking out this site for a few months now and just had to join.

Just curious... anyone know if this does anything for a 2007 tC?

1st post ever, btw :biggrin:

Been checking out this site for a few months now and just had to join.
The theory works for most all cars and trucks.

welp, ever since i put 17's on my box, I'm gettin zapped HUGE as i get out of it. I'm gonna do this asap.

I did the install of this wire kit on my XB over the weekend. I do notice a smoother gear change but that's about it. Sadly, i'm still getting huge shocks when getting out of it.
Anybody have any ideas on how to stop that?

Ok so I'm planning on doing this to my tC, but I wanted to connect the spark plugs and alternator individually. My question is, all connects to the negative terminal? Cause I seen the alternator connected to the positive terminal in pictures.

If a mechanic looks at a grounding harness and doesn't get it, he hasn't been a tech for very long.
We used to make grounding harnesses any time we would have recurring charging system issues. It is also worth mentioning that to get a good ground bear metal is requisite. Trying to get a ground through paint or corrosion is difficult. Thanks for the posting.

[quote=berndt;3775192]to get a good ground bear metal is requisite. quote]

Now would that be a wild bear or the Chicago Bears?? And can it still have a lil fur or does it have to be shaved bare??

I can bearly stand myself!

I put this kit on using 8awg wire and with the ground point indicated. I noticed no difference in any of the areas mentioned, so I upped it to 4awg wire. still no differences. Also, I overtightened the bolt on my coil, so now i have to have it re-threaded, but there is enough left to hold the coil in place with the help of the engine cover.

In the photo's the wires connected to the coil I can't tell if the connections are above and below the coil pack or both on the same side. I connected both of mine on the top side of the coil pack, because if they were on the bottom, there would not be enough metal to hold the coil in place. So, are the wires pictured on both sides of the coil pack? and if so, would that make a difference?

4 gauge is a pretty heavy gauge wire for what a ground kit needs. I'd only use 4 gauge if you were experiencing dimming lights or moderate voltage drops (hence you have an aftermarket audio system). The Big 3 only tries to allow a better charge from the alternator to your battery by upping the alt -> batt+ and batt- -> chass and eng block -> chass wiring to 0gauge... I've done this and haven't really seen a huge improvement in the less dimming of lights (headlights are fine, interior LEDs dim slightly under heavy music usage), so unless you have a larger alternator (not like xAs have) it's not really worth doing the big 3, the ground kit on the other hand improves your spark in the engine? (from what I've read) and other performance improving things, but I doubt it's that significant... but if you've got a couple bucks this mod is probably one of the cheapest and easiest. I might run a ground kit with the Big 3 to see if that improves anything...

http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac44/manofthehour1234/20111116080632.jpg

Haven't gotten the chance to throw the other 0 gauge wiring since every time I take off the battery my alarm goes off, and I can't have that happening in my neighborhood lol I only did this because I had an audio system a while back and never sold the 30ft of 0gauge and 250amp fuses I have...